One of the excuses the Dino Rossi campaign has used to explain why he can’t show up when he’s subpoenaed claims it’s because “it’s on the day of the last debate.” In fact, there is now late word that the plaintiff’s attorney in “Buildergate” will ask for a different date for Rossi to appear in order to avoid such a conflict.
Rossi loves him some debates, you betcha, unless it’s in Clark County and it would cost him a half hour’s worth of high-donor contact.
Rossi ducked a debate today in Vancouver, preferring instead to pose for photos with contributors at $500 per person. At least that was the plan when I first posted about it on Sept. 27.
And get this. Rossi wouldn’t even let the local newspaper report from his event today.
Gov. Chris Gregoire used an hour-long town hall meeting in Vancouver Monday to tout her record, answer questions from a friendly audience of about 250 and campaign for re-election.
Her GOP opponent Dino Rossi, meanwhile, was at the Red Lion Inn at the Quay for a private fundraiser. His campaign declined a request from The Columbian to attend.
But then that’s the way Republicans such as Rossi like to operate, isn’t it? Sure, you have a Constitutional right to keep people out of a private event, but last time I checked political campaigns usually crave media attention.
But if the Rossi campaign lets him be exposed to the public down here in a debate or even by being quoted, they risk losing in Clark County as voters realize he’s nothing but a big bundle of anti-tax platitudes and accusatory BIAW-inspired rhetoric.
My crystal ball has lost thirty percent of its value recently, but I’m guessing a lot of voters here are pretty much like a lot of voters everywhere—they’re not buying what the Republicans are selling. Best for the GOP Party to keep things quiet and keep Rossi out of the public eye, in case anyone notices the platitudes have a familiar, Bush-ish quality about them.
It’s pretty remarkable that in a county Rossi needs to take to have any chance of winning, the only people he seems to have talked to today were those willing to pay him for the right.
I hope they had cake at least.
I’ll bet they spent a lot of time talking about those damn elitist Democrats.
I don’t have a problem with Rossi keeping the press out of a private event — if he’s running for a private office. Say, president of his homeowners’ association …. But as long as he’s running for a public office, all campaign events should be public. If he won, would he consider the governor’s office private property, like Palin does up in Alaska?
Speaking of Palin, the guv has a comprehension problem (but we already knew that didn’t we?):
“RICHMOND, Va. – Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin mistook some of her own fans for hecklers Monday at a rally that drew thousands.
“A massive crowd … spread across the parking lot … and scores of people … more than 100 yards from the stage could not hear.
“‘Louder! Louder!’ they began chanting, and the cry spread across the crowd to Palin’s left. …
“Palin stopped her remarks … and looked toward the commotion. ‘I hope those protesters have the courage and honor to give veterans thanks for their right to protest,’ she said.”
(Quoted from Associated Press under fair use.)
Roger Rabbit Commentary: What an idiot! She must be one of those talking dolls that Toys R Us sells — you push a button and a pre-recorded blurb comes out! In other news, McCain and Palin are promising a federal spending freeze — does that mean the troops don’t get bullets and bandages?
The Columbian is a useless rag anyway. They do a very poor job of informing voters in Clark county. It plays right into rossi’s hands. He buys ad time on the portland stations, and I’m afraid a high percentage of mouth breather’s buy his sorry line of bullshit.
burner is now winning that seatimes “poll” 54-46.
pretty clear which side of class war pi & seatimes are on, no?
Maybe Rossi’s developer friends have an interest in the Columbian’s building.
Whimps
afraid to call himself a Republican, afraid to let the press see what he’s up to, afraid to testify under oath…as they campaign, so shall they govern.
Speaking of Palin, the guv has a comprehension problem (but we already knew that didn’t we?):
“RICHMOND, Va. – Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin mistook some of her own fans for hecklers Monday at a rally that drew thousands.
“A massive crowd … spread across the parking lot … and scores of people … more than 100 yards from the stage could not hear.
Biden would be lucky to get 100 people. hehehehehehe
If he won, would he consider the governor’s office private property, like Palin does up in Alaska?
He did win twice…. I just hope when he is elected for a third time that he keeps guvmint hands off private property….. who gives a shit about the librul press.
@8
Actually, Obama and Biden are drawing far larger crowds the Palin/McCain.
@9
The Colombian isn’t liberal.
I had to burst out laughing last night.
First came Rossi’s commercial where a concerned suburban mother talked about how she couldn’t let her kids out of her sight because the State of Washington “lost track of” thousands of sex offenders (which they imply are all child abusers) “on her (Gregoire’s) watch”.
The “on her watch” part was funny enough. I guess they thought the governor’s job was to sit in a stakeout of every sex offender in the State to make sure they don’t sneak out at night. Like Rossi’s going to spend the money to “keep track” of every sex offender?
But then it got much, much, funnier. Because right after that, was a commercial for Rob McKenna (Republican A.G.). It stated that because of reforms he had implimented, the people of the state were much safer from sexual preditors than before!!!!!
My wife couldn’t understand why I was laughing so hard.
I guess Republican communications are breaking down. Polling probably told them that concern over sex offenders was a “hot button” topic which they should include in the final days of their campaign – it doesn’t matter what the facts are, jut make something up and throw it on the air. But the follow-through was a bit contradictory, don’t you think?
I also noticed that Rossi’s running as hard against “the other Washington” as he is against Gregoire, trying to say they are similar.
I think it’s hillarious how far the Republicans are going to try to distance themselves from Bush. Especially Rossi, who’s as much of a “mini-Bush” as any of them.
At least McCain has had his disputes with Bush in the past, but Rossi’s only problem with Bush is that it’s politically inconvenient for him to be linked to the most unpopular president in recent history.
@9 “He did win twice”
Uh, no, stupid dog. Incomplete tallies don’t count. By law, only the final tally counts. The other two are merely estimates or approximations.